If you are a sports aficionado or would just want to keep yourself updated with the latest news in the world of athletics, then you definitely need to regularly hang out at Dugout Philippines.

Dig Deeper Into The World Of Sports With Dugout Philippines

Dugout Philippines prides itself as being an authority when it comes to both local and international sports. It is a commercial sports and interactive website that is focused on bringing the hottest updates from various sporting leagues from around the globe, as well as collegiate sports. Aside from sports news, Dugout Philippines also features opinions and insights from various fields. 

Navigating through the Dugout Philippines website 

What sets Dugout Philippines apart from other similar websites? It has a clean and easy-to-navigate interface that, unlike other news sites, would not leave you confused and disoriented on where to find the section that you are looking for or are more interested in. 

Dugout Philippines' homepage

When you open the Dugout Philippines website, you would immediately be presented with the seven latest stories gathered from the sporting sphere, as well as the top 10 most popular posts for the week on the right sidebar. 

If there is a particular subject that you are looking for, just head over to the main navigation menu at the top. The main navigation menu at the top contains the major topics covered by Dugout Philippines, which are: 

1. Basketball - all the stories and updates from both professional and collegiate basketball 

2. U-Sports - a section dedicated to NCAA and UAAP news 

3. Football - stories from both local and international football leagues 

4. E-Sports - features and updates from the world of online games 

5. Boxing - boxing news from both local and worldwide arenas 

6. MMA - stories, interviews, and features on the world of mixed martial arts 

7. Volleyball - updates on international, local, and collegiate volleyball 

8. Other Sports - these are stories from the world of golf, weightlifting, soccer, equestrian, and general sports news, to name a few 

9. Game Analysis - reviews and opinions about various sporting events

For topics not listed in the main menu, there is a search button at the top right portion of the website to help you find the item that you are looking for. 

The topmost section of the header also contains the standard pages of the website: About, Contact, Privacy Policy, Sitemap, and Advertisement Inquiry. 

Dugout Philippines' Facebook cover photo

On a personal note, I did enjoy reading the stories under U-Sports because it brought back a lot of memories and excitement during UAAP season when I was in college. It was also through this website where I found out that one of the pillars of the boxing world, ALA Boxing, recently closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overall, even with the simplicity of the website's layout, it does feel like a sports news portal; a trustworthy source of information in its chosen niche.   

Interview with Dugout Philippines Editor-in-Chief Ivan Saldajeno 

I had the honor of interviewing the blogger behind Dugout Philippines and my namesake, Mr. Ivan Saldajeno, because I wanted to know Dugout Philippines in a deeper and more personal manner. 

Ivan Saldajeno

Here are the highlights of our conversation: 

1. What or who inspired you to start blogging? 

If it’s blogging for fun, I don't have one, but if it’s blogging as a career, Janette Toral. 

*Janette Toral is a long-time blogger and an advocate of e-commerce in the Philippines. 

2. How long have you been blogging? 

I have been blogging since 2007, starting out in Friendster blog. Professionally though, I began blogging in 2011. 

3. What is your motivation to blog? 

None, seriously, except for my love for sharing information. 

4. Do you blog full time? 

No, I don't blog full time. I don’t keep a personal blog anymore but I do focus on my sports news site and also contribute to Philippine News Agency (PNA). 

5. Is sports the only topic that you write about? 

I had a lifestyle blog before but nowadays I only stick to sports. 

6. What is the inspiration behind your blog’s name? 

The word "dugout" is a synonym for locker room. Since we want to share the locker room type of stories of athletes, we stuck with the name. 

7. What differentiates your blog as compared to other sports blogs or news sites? What can readers expect from your blog? 

We cover sports and fields that the other sites rarely feature. As such, our readers can expect a wide range of sports news and updates. 

8. Would you consider sports and athletics a competitive blog niche? 

Right now, yes, I would say it is a competitive niche. All the more because vlogs and vodcasts on sports are starting to emerge. 

9. What do you like most about blogging? 

I like the exercise of being able to speak out my thoughts. 

10. What challenges do you usually encounter in blogging? 

The challenges that I encounter are mainly Internet spend and connection, and also cash. 

11. What is your advice to those people who want to be bloggers? 

Always be true to yourself. 

Epilogue 

If you are a sports aficionado who is looking for a sports news site that is unlike any other similar websites, then head over to Dugout Philippines. You will enjoy browsing through the latest stories, both mainstream and unconventional, about your favorite athletic events and athletes. 

Furthermore, to get the latest sporting news and tidbits, you may also follow Dugout Philippines’ social media channels: 

• Facebook: Dugout Philippines
• Twitter: @dugoutph
• Instagram: @dugout.ph

Also read: Travellerspoint: a resource site made especially for travelers

This is a writing exercise from the Blogging Mentorship Program of MsKathyKenny.